Reality Interactive, the developers that demonstrated the possibilities of Java gaming with a Quake clone, is looking for experienced developers to help beta test its integrated game development environment -- Simulation Workbench.

The Simulation Workbench presents a new approach to game development in a comfortable and feature-rich setting that greatly simplifies the code development process and further empowers game developers with the benefits real-time interactive feedback.

We have received a number of concerned responses that this is a Windows only product. I should emphasize that this beta test is for the Windows product. The software itself relies on Java and JOGL and is as platform independent as they are.

I have updated our FAQ to refect this concern.

If you are interested in participating in the beta test, visit the site at:

We have received a number of concerned responses that this is a Windows only product. I should emphasize that this beta test is for the Windows product. The software itself relies on Java and JOGL and is as platform independent as they are.

c.f. my private message, but (to spare everyone else saying the same thing...) there is a big problem asking cross-platform developers of cross-platform products in a forum dedicated to a cross-platform language...to use software that only works on Windows.

I don't care what people's OS preferences are - it's just that you can bet a high percentage of people here are NOT using any given OS (e.g. windows). I'd tell you the same thing if you said your betatest was only for the linux version.

Many of use develop in java because it supports our cross-platform activities. Nearly all of us (look at the tools threads) use cross-platform development tools to the exclusion of all else - even when that means Sun Forte / Netbeans, and it sucks to hell and back - because it allows us to develop on any OS that's handy, and not get into problems (with our development) if we have to change OS at some point (or even, in some cases, frequently).

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If you are interested in participating in the beta test,

Frankly, no, since you still won't tell me what the software actually is, does, or is meant for. If you want people to do stuff, you generally have to sell them on the idea....so, Sell it to us! (metaphorically; i.e. give us some reasons to use this thing, rather than just saying "it's really good, but I can't tell you why")

o A platform specific beta-test: I have already stated that the software is cross-platform so there's nothing to discuss there. As for having separate beta-tests for each platform, well, we're staff-resource bound at this point so I cannot have beta-tests for more than one platform at this time. Aggregating the results, dealing with tester questions and the whatnot all take resource time. Having a beta-test on multiple platforms with limited resouces means that you will most likely have a poor tester experience (a bad thing to have).

A footnote to the above: regardless how "cross-platform" java is you always have test on each platform that you support. Using our Quake clone demo as an example, we had approximately 7000x the number of Windows users as Linux users (and interesting point in and of itself) but our Linux bugs were about 10x greater than our Windows bugs. (The same exact source is used in both cases.)

o What is the product: Other than what vagueness is already presented on the site I cannot give more info. It neither behooves Reality Interactive nor will it help you in your decision. If you have the time and you're interested in helping out then you wont be disappointed.

Thanks to all of you that have already submitted applications. We've received more than I had expected!!!

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